Sunday, March 18, 2007

Injured Bat 3

[Oracle]
The phone rang, and for a moment Oracle didn't recognize the sound, so immersed in the virtual world was she. Then it rang again, and she did. What in the world?
"Hello?" she said, picking up the phone. Who would be calling her at this hour? The capes would use the coms and mostly didn't have her number, and nobody else was awake at this time of night.
"Barbara."
"Dad." She was surprised. "What's up?" A twinge of worry ran up her spine.
"Batman's here, and he's lost a lot of blood. I'll do my best, but I'll need some help." A pause. "Do you understand?"
Once again, they pretended he didn't know about Oracle, about her former profession. "I'll see what I can do," she replied. "Keep him stable if you can." She hung up and called the manor.

[Jim Gordon]
His hands were red from the blood now staining the towel he'd added on top of the gauze he'd put on Batman's wound when he heard knocking on his door. "Come in," he called, knowing it was one of Batman's support staff sent over by Barbara (no matter how long he knows, he will never be able to think of her as Oracle). Somehow he isn't surprised when Bruce Wayne's butler enters with medical supplies. A concerned expression is stamped on his face, but he does what has to be done efficiently.
"Good evening, sir," the butler said, setting his armful down. "Has the bleeding stopped yet?" He set up an IV of blood.
"I think so, but he's lost a lot of blood and passed out, which, with the concussion..."
"You'd better try to wake him up, then, while I stitch him up." The butler- Alfred, he now remembered- began threading a wicked-looking curved needle.

[Batman]
"Batman, wake up." It's Gordon's voice. Why is he asleep around Jim Gordon? And why is his cowl gone, he suddenly realized, his face cold. Not that he minded Jim knowing, but what if others were around? He opened his eyes as quickly as he could, which wasn't very. The sight of Alfred beside Gordon at once reassured and alarmed him. Reassured, because he was in good hands and not exposed to the world. Alarmed, because they both looked worried, and Alfred had thought he was in enough danger to come here, to...Gordon's house?
"Do you remember anything before your injury?" Alfred asked, shining a light into his eyes and somehow increasing his pain.
"There was an explosion. The Batmobile." He raised a hand to his aching head. "Com gear destroyed."
"You have a concussion, so don't go to sleep. Mr. Gordon saved your life."
"I guess we have a lot to talk about," Batman started, but Gordon stopped him.
"No, I don't know who Batman is any more than I know who Oracle is," he said, his eyes begging Batman to understand how he was pulled between his job and what he wished to acknowledge. Batman gave a small nod and they sat in silence until Alfred returned with tea.
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